Pallet



Feb. 8, 1949. l w, J, PHlLF ErAL 2,461,297

Feb. 8, 1949.

Filed Oct. 17, 1946 W. J. PHILP ETAL PALLET 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Pwd Fd. s. 194s PALLET e William J. Phiip, Battle Creek, Mich., and Gharica W. Parmentier,

Philadelphia. Pa.; laid Phiip assignor to Clark Equipment Company, Buchanan, Mich., a corporation oi Michigan Application October 17, 1946, Serial N0. '103,768

Claims. (Cl. 248-120) Our present invention relates to an improvement in pallets. i

It is now common practice in factories, warehouses and at wharves and the like, to utilize pallets upon which goods and merchandise of various kinds may be .supported for transportation or handling, and which'pallets are of suitl able construction to be engaged and raised by the lift forks of industrial trucks for transporting the goods or merchandise from 'place to place asdesired.

Our invention relates to an improved pallet for the above and other uses and has for its main "K a pallet as last aforesaidin which either one of the platforms or panels may be positioned uppermost, commonly known as a double faced pallet, one face serving to support the goods or merchandise with the other or lower of the platforms or panels being adapted to rest upon the ground or floor to support the pallet.

A further object is to provide an arrangement of corner brackets, one at each of the corners of .the pair of plates or panels, together Awith side brackets disposed intermediate the corners at each of the sides of the pallets, the arrangement of the several brackets being such that the pallet may be readily engaged by the lift forks of an industrial truck from any one of the four sides of the pallet.

A further object is to provide a pallet having corner -brackets enclosing the surfaces and edges of the corners of the platform to prevent splintering thereof.

A further o'biect is to provide a pallet in which the corner and side brackets have vertical walls disposed inwardly of the edges of the platforms so that the pallet may be handled with a ships sling.

A further object is to provide a pallet as last aforesaid having post meansA disposed centrally of the platforms to maintain the central portions thereof in the same spaced relation as provided by the several bracketsto prevent sagging of 2 Y the upwardly disposed platform by a load disposed thereon. v

A still further object is to provide apallet of the character above referred to in which the platforms comprise plywood members.

A still further object is to provide a pallet of the character above noted in which certain of the flange elements or portions of the reinforcing brackets are disposed in 'conformably formed recesses in the outer surfaces of the plywood members so as to be flush therewith and thereby presenting smooth even surfaces for the pallet to prevent fouling of the goods or'merchandise with the several brackets, or damaging of the goods or pallet. V

A still further object is to provide a pallet as last aforesaid in which the post or reinforcing means disposed centrally of the platform lies flush with the outer surfaces of the plates or panels for reasons last above noted.

A still further object is to provide for securing of the brackets to the pair of platforms by means of a plurality of pins extending through the platforms and which pins at the opposite ends thereof lare welded to portions of` the reinforcing brackets.

A still further object is to provide forsecuring of the centrally disposed reinforcing or post means for the pair of platforms by welding, eliminating the use4 of nuts and bolts and the like which present objectionable obstructions in structures of this type.

The above and other objects of our invention will appear from the following detail description of a preferred embodiment of our invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a pallet constructed in accordance with our invention:

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the pallet ofFigure 1; and y Figure 3 isan enlarged vertical section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Figure V2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawing, the pallet of the specific embodiment of our invention herein centrally of the spaced panels 2 2 and extendins therebetween. The several corner andA side brackets, and center post means provide for spacing of the platforms or panels for the reception therebetween of the lift forks of 'an industrial truck for engaging and raising the pallet. While we have shown the panels as being made of plywood it will be understood that other materials may be used as desired.

The corner brackets 3 each are preferably made of suitable guage sheet metal and are formed to provide upper and lower channel portions or sections 6 6 of substantially U-shape in crosssection and within which are disposed the adjacent side edge portions and rounded corners of the platforms 2 2 with the channel portions or sections 6 6 having the inset vertical wall portion 'I extending therebetween. The wall portion 1 is provided with a pair of integral reinforcing ribs 6 one each in the portion of the wall 1 extending parallel with the edges of the pallet. These reinforcing ri-bs 6 are preferably formed by upsetting the metal of the wall portion so that the recesses in the wall portion 1 forming the ribs open inwardly of the pallet. The walls 1 of the corner brackets are disposed inwardly of the edges of the upper and lower plates or panels which con: struction provides for reception of a ships sling about the edges of the upper platform to accommodate raising of the pallet and its load by the boom of the ship. The outer surfaces and edges of the platforms 2 2 are suitably recessed to receive the outer fianges Ill-I of the channel portions 6-6 so that these flanges lie flush with the external surfaces of the plates or panels 2 2. The channel portions are secured to the plates or panels 2 2 by a plurality of pins l I each of which is snugly received in openings formed in the plates or panels 2 2 along the edges thereof and lying within the channel sections 6 6. The opposite ends of pins l i are secured to the flanges i0 lying flush with the outer surfaces of the plates or panels 2 2 and the flanges I3 of the channel portions 6 6 adjacent the inner surfaces of the platforms 2 2 by being welded thereto. The en.. dorsing of the surfaces and edges adjacent the corners of platforms 2 by the channel sections of the corner brackets is an important advantage of our invention since it is at the corners of the platforms at which splintering is most likely to occur.

The side brackets 4 are of similar construction as the corner brackets 3 and as shown in Figures 2 and 3 each comprise upper and lower channel sections |5-I 5 connected together by the inwardly disposed vertical wall portion i6 having reinforcing ribs t1 formed therein as by a stamping operation, with the inwardly disposed wall providing for raising of the platform by a ships sling as above noted. The wall I6 is formed by diverging angle portions for greater strength and rigidity. The side brackets l, if desired, may be made of lighter guage steel than the corner brackets 3, but preferably the cross-sectional configuration of the channel section I5 thereof and the ribs Il is ofthe same dimensions as the comparable elements of the corner brackets. Like the corner brackets 3, the side brackets have the upper flanges I6 of the channel sections disposed in recesses in the exposed surfaces of the plates or panels to lie ush with the external surface of the latter. Also, the channel sections |6-l6 of the side brackets are secured to theplates or panels by aplurality of pins I9 extending through the adjacent edges of the plates or panels and welded at their opposite ends to the spaced horizontally extending flanges of each of the channel sections Il lying along the adjacent inner and outer surfaces of each of the platforms 2 2.

In pallets of our invention of large size or for supporting heavy loads it is desirable to provide the centrally disposed post means 5 to prevent sagging of the platforms 2 2 of the pallet intermediate the edges thereof and to maintain the desired vertical spacing of the platforms. The post means 6 comprises a post member 2li having the enlarged central section 2i and reduced cylindrical end portions 22-22 received within conformably formed openings 23-23 in the upper and lower platforms. The shoulders formed by the intersections of the central sections 2i with the reduced ends 22-22 support washers 24-24 in valined position on the inner surfaces of the platforms 2 2. The outer surfaces of the platforms 2 2 are recessed at 26-26 to receive reinforcing members or washers 2'l 21 with the recesses 26 being of appropriate depth so that the members 21-21 lie flush with the outer surfaces of upper and lower platforms 2 2. The opposite ends of the reduced portions 22-22 preferably are secured centrally of the members 2| 2'| as by being resistance welded thereto, which welding of the ends is effective with the parts being suitably pro\ portioned to maintain the washers 24-24 in engagement with the inner surfaces of the panels 2 2.

While we have shown what we consider to be the preferred embodiment of our invention, it will be understood that various modifications and A rearrangements may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. A pallet comprising a pair of planar rectangular platforms disposed in xed vertical relation with respect to each other by corner brackets arranged between each of the corner edgesof said platforms and side brackets disposed between side edges of said platforms intermediate the corner edges thereof, said corner brackets each having upper and lower channel sections substantially U-shaped in cross-section embracing adjacent side edges of the corners of the platforms and a vertically extending integral wall member between said channel sections, and side brackets each having upper and lower channel sections substantially U-shalped in cross-section in which the adjacent side edges of the pair of platforms are disposed.

2. A pallet comprising a pair of rectangular platforms disposed in fixed vertical relation with respect to each other by corner brackets arranged between the corner edges of said platforms, and side brackets disposed along side edges of said platforms intermediate the corner edges thereof, each of said corner brackets having upper and lower channel sections substantially U-shape in cross-section embracing adjacent side edges of the corners of the platforms, and a vertically extending integral wall portion between said channel sections, a plurality of 'pins extending vertically through the side edges of the corners of said platforms disposed within said channel sections with said pins being welded at their opposite ends to the portions of said channel sections in juxtaposition thereof, and each of said side brackets having upper and lower channel sections substantially@ -shape in cross-section in which intermediate portions of the side edges of the platforms are'disposed, and a vertically extending wall portion between said last named channel sections, and a plurality of pins extending vertically through the edges of said platforms disposed in said last named channels, said last named pins being welded at their opposite ends to the portions of said last named channel sections in juxtaposition thereof.

3. A corner reinforcing bracket for maintaining the corners of a pair of platforms of a pallet in spaced vertisal relation comprising upper and lower channel sectionssubstantially L-shape in plan and U-shape in cross-section for receiving the adjacent side edges of the corners of the platforms, and an integral vertically extending wall between said channel sections.

4. A side reinforcing bracket for maintaining the side edges of a pair of platforms of a pallet in spaced vertical relation comprising upper and lower channel sections substantially U-shape in cross-section for receiving portions of side edges of the platforms and an integral vertically extending web having-diverging` wall portions between said channel sections.

5. In combination, a reinforcing bracket for maintaining a pair of platforms of a pallet in spaced vertical relation comprising upper and lower channel sections substantially U-shape in cross-section for receiving portions of the edges of the platforms, and an integral wall member extending vertically between said channel sections, and means for securing said bracket to said platforms comprising a plurality of pins extending vertically through the portions of said platforms disposed in said channel sections with the opposite ends of said pins being welded to the portions of said channel sections in juxtaposition thereof.

6. In a pallet having a pair of platforms disposed in spaced vertical relation by bracket means at the edges of the platforms, post means extending between said platforms centrally thereof for preventing sagging of said platforms toward each other comprising a post member having reduced opposite ends fitting in openings formed in said platforms, washers seating on the shoulders of said post member formed by the intersections of the reduced ends thereof with the intermediate portion of said post member in juxtaposition of the inner surfaces of said platforms, and washers at the outer surfaces'of said platforms welded to the ends of said reduced opposite ends of said post member.

7. The construction of claim 6 characterized by the outer surfaces of said platforms being recessed to receive the outer washers welded to the ends of the opposite reduced ends of said post member flush with the outer surfaces of said platforms.

v8. A reinforcing bracket for use in maintaining a pair of platforms of a pallet in spaced-vertical relation comprising upper and lower channel sections substantially U-shaped in cross-section for receiving portions of the edges of the plat-` forms, and an integral vertical web having angularly disposed wall portions extending between saidchannel lsections disposed inwardly of thebases of said channels whereby said vertical wall is adapted to be disposed inwardly of the edges of said platforms.

9. A pallet comprising a pair of rectangular platforms disposed in fixed vertical relation with respect to each other by corner brackets arranged between each of theA corner edges of said plat? forms and embracing adjoining side edge Dortions of each corner, and side brackets disposed between side edges vof said platforms intermediate the corner edges thereof providing openings along each edge of the pallet for entry of the lift forks of an industrial truck or the like.

10. A metal corner bracket for protecting a rounded corner of a wood platform of a pallet and the like, comprising a channel-shaped section having a right angularly bent web and outwardly extending channel-shaped flanges along opposite edges of said web for conforming to the rounded corner of a platform.

WILLIAM J. PHILP. CHARLES W. PARMENTIER.

REFERENCEs CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France Mar. 16, 1926 

